Warm Up and Cool Down Before Athletic Performance

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Warm Up and Cool Down Before Athletic Performance

There is no doubt that time spent on warming up and cooling down will

improve an athlete's level of performance and accelerate the recovery

process needed before training or competition. As a result the coach

must encourage the athlete to regard the warm up and cool down as an

essential part of both the training session and competition itself.

Warm Up

Muscle stiffness is thought to be directly related to muscle injury

and therefore the warm up should be aimed at reducing muscle

stiffness.

Warming up should at least consist of the following:

* 5 to 10 minutes jogging - to increase body temperature

* 10 to 15 minutes dynamic stretching exercises - reduce muscle

stiffness

* 10 to 15 minutes general and event specific drills - preparation

for the session or competition. e.g. for a runner

* Lower leg drills

* Leg drills

* Technique drills

* 4 to 8 easy run outs over 30 to 60 metres - focus on correct

running technique (Tall, Relaxed, Smooth and Drive)

Dynamic stretches are more appropriate to the warm up as they help

reduce muscle stiffness. Static exercises do not reduce muscle

stiffness.

What are the benefits of a warm up?

Performance may be improved as an appropriate warm up will result in

an:

* Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles

* Dynamic exercises reduce muscle stiffness

* Greater economy of movement because of lowered viscous resistance

within warmed muscles

* Facilitated oxygen utilization by warmed muscles because

hemoglobin releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle

temperatures

* Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher

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